An Introduction to MRI

Zulqurnain Syed
Why MRI?
 When using x-rays to image the body one doesn’t
see very much. The image is gray and flat. The
overall contrast resolution of an x-ray image is
poor. In order to increase the image contrast one
can administer some sort of contrast medium,
such as barium or iodine based contrast media.
By manipulating the x-ray parameters kV and
mAs one can try to optimize the image contrast
further but it will remain sub optimal. With CT
scanners one can produce images with a lot more
contrast, which helps in detecting lesions in soft
tissue.
 Why MRI?
 The principle advantage of MRI is its excellent
contrast resolution. With MRI it is possible to
detect minute contrast differences in (soft) tissue,
even more so than with CT images. By
manipulating the MR parameters one can optimize
the pulse sequence for certain pathology.

 Another advantage of MRI is the possibility the

make images in every imaginable plane,
something, which is quite impossible with x-rays
or CT. (With CT it is possible to reconstruct other
planes from an axially acquired data set).
 However, the spatial resolution of x-ray
images is, when using special x-ray film,
excellent. This is particularly useful when
looking at bone structures. The spatial
resolution of MRI compared to that of x-ray is
poor. In general one can use x-ray and CT to
visualize bone structures whereas MRI is
extremely useful for detecting soft tissue
lesions.
The Hardware
 MRI scanners come in many varieties. Its like
going to the supermarket; you’re spoiled for
choice. You can have permanent, resistive,
superconducting, and open or bore type magnets,
with or without helium, low or high field strength.
What do you choose? The choice of magnet is
mainly governed by what you intend to do with it
and how much money you have in the bank. High
field magnets offer better image quality, faster
scanning and a wider range of applications, but
they are more expensive than their low field
counterparts.
Magnet Types: Permanent magnets
 A permanent magnet consists of a material,
which has been magnetized such that it won‟t
loose its magnetic field, (like the ones you
put on your refrigerator). The field strength is
usually very low and ranges between 0.064T
~ 0.3T (the unit for magnetic field strength is
Tesla. 1 Tesla = 10000 Gauss). Permanent
magnets have usually an open design, which
is more comfortable for the patient.
Figure 2 shows Toshiba‟s Access 0.064Tesla system. The Access was the worlds
first open MRI scanner.
RF Coils
Precession
• Precession refers to a change in the direction of the axis of
a rotating object.

• It occurs when spinning objects experience a moment

outside the plane of rotation
MRI: Determinants of Spin Rate
• The speed of precession of a spinning body in a field is
called the Larmor frequency, and we know a few things
about it
• Zero when B0 = 0
• Increases as magnetic field increases
• We could do an experiment and plot the relationship
between B0 and precessional frequency

wL Slope = gyromagnetic ratio

B0
• Larmor freqency, and is dictated by
 L  B0
• For protons wL is approximately 42 MHz/Tesla
B0
MRI: Scaling up to Populations
Single Proton Population of Protons
No External Field

M
M
External Field = B0

M M
Simplification
• We can’t stop a proton from spinning, so let’s simplify our
diagram

will now be

will now be
MRI: Scaling up to Populations
• In a big population of protons, more line up with the field
than against, but there is a distribution of both
• Thermodynamics will tell us what the ratio is
External Field = B0

B0 M
-
 Relaxation

T1 T2
Relaxation Relaxation
T1 > T2
 Coupling of a T1 and
T2- curve resembles
a mountain with a
slope
 T1- 300-2000 msec.
 T2- 30-150 msec.
 It takes longer to
climb a mountain
than to slide or jump
down.
Relaxation time
 It is difficult to pinpoint the end of the longitudinal and
transverse relaxation exactly. Thus T1 and T2 were not
defined as the time when relaxation is completed.
 Instead T1 was defined as the time when about 63% of the
original longitudinal magnetization is reached.
 T2 is the time when transverse magnetization decreases to
37% of the original value.
 These percentages are derived equation 1-1/3 = 63%, 1/e =
37%
 1/T1 is also called longitudinal relaxation rate
 1/T2 transverse relaxation rate
Liquids have long T1 & T2
Fat has short T1 & T2
What influences T1/T2?
 T1 is longer than T2
 T1 varies with the magnetic field strength
 It is longer in strong magnetic field
 Water has a long T1 and fat has a short T1
 T2 of water is longer than the T2 of impure
liquids containing larger molecules.